The Dickson Public School building at 65 St. Andrews Street in Galt, Cambridge dates back to 1876. By 1894, the original school building had been expanded twice to its current footprint. The two-storey limestone building was a fully operational school until 2014. It was designated in 1983 for its historic and architectural significance. It is an excellent example of a 19th century stone school in Ontario with vernacular Scottish Georgian features.
Former classrooms on the main and upper levels have been transformed into ten rental apartments – five per floor. There are five two-bedroom units, four one-bedroom units, and one bachelor unit. With grade changes and a new entry ramp, the ground floor of the building is accessible and features two accessible units: one two-bedroom unit and one one-bedroom unit.
The adaptive reuse of the Dickson Public School has not just saved it from falling into disrepair, but has brought into the community much needed residential units. Every unit is bright and joyful and celebrates the rich architectural heritage of the old school. The design quality of these units will elevate and enrich the living experience of every resident.
Our earlier work on this project proposed a two-phased approach to the redevelopment, into leasable commercial and residential units. The first phase was to involve the conversion of the existing protected heritage stone structure into modern, accessible, flexible, and scalable office spaces without compromising the character of the existing building. Working creatively within the historic roofline, opportunities were found to maximize leasable area. Changing economic realities led to a shift from commercial to a full residential conversion. The project has included Official Plan Amendment (OPA), Zone Change Application, Heritage Impact Assessment, Site Plan Approval, Municipal Consent and Regional approval.
Throughout this project, we worked to maintain heritage features, such as wood floors, wainscotting, exposed stone walls, the entryway and its wood stairs and handrails. Some elements that were previously covered up, such as tin ceiling panels, and fenestrations from the pre-1894 additions, were exposed and repurposed.
We worked with Heritage Planning on enhancements to building performance that could be achieved without disturbing heritage features or aesthetics. It was essential that the exterior of the building remain mostly untouched, so Galt residents could continue to enjoy its handsome architecture.
We are pleased that this project makes use of an existing building that may have otherwise sat vacant. As the building is located a short distance from Galt's commercial centre, and the location is accessible to both active transportation and transit options, there are environmental, economic and public health benefits for the community.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
